JUSTIN ROGERS

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Values

I’m a model

October 29, 2025

I’m a model.

Although people don’t take my picture for money and I’ve never been on a runway- I’m modeling everyday.

You’re a model too and it’s the greatest honour for us all.

Teachers especially are models. And anyone in a leadership position; guiding or teaching souls who are seeking growth.

Whether we like it or not, our behaviour is teaching people the way to be. I’ve always hated the phrase, “Do as I say not as I do”. I really hope people only ever use that as a joke.

We can tell people what to do all we want but our biggest tool for passing on knowledge is the behaviour we model.

It’s not for me to tell you what to model- I think it’s enough to know that we are always modeling to those we lead. We can pretty much guarantee that your attitude and behaviour around certain things will be passed onto them.

Do you model optimism or pessimism?

How do you greet your students and what does that tell them about the world?

How do you react when something goes wrong?

What do you model when you’re tired?

Do you model gratitude or complaining?

Abundance or scarcity?

The classroom is our runway and we have choices to make at every turn.

What will you model today?

Values make things stick

October 20, 2025

How do we make something a priority?

Sheer will power can be great, but might not last.

What really lasts is connecting the desired action to our highest value.

-Want to consistently make time to plan new creative lessons?

-Begin a new habit?

-Push through the initial difficulty of a new venture?

Sure, I can muscle my way through, but I know I’ll burn out quickly if it’s will power alone.

What does it mean to link something to your values?

We have to link in our heads, hearts and bodies that this action equals our highest value.

-The consistent time spent planning lessons is directly connected to the change you want to make in young people. Action – > high value

-The new habit is burned in your brain as an embodiment of your deep desire to always learn new things. Action – > high value

-Sticking to the new venture while you’re really bad at it is connected to the contributions you know you will make to others once you master it. Action – > high value

Don’t be strong. Plug into your values instead.

Self Esteem

October 18, 2025

Where does self esteem come from?

It’s esteem for one’s self. A deep feeling of self security and worthiness. I think in the past I’ve tricked myself into thinking that we get this from others.

Yes, we’re told that what others say and think about us doesn’t matter- but it’s a mighty loud signal.

When we’re kids it’s the authority figures in our lives that shape our beliefs about the world and ourselves.

As we get older I suppose we continue giving authority to others.

Do other people think we’re good or strong or clever? Whether people see us doing things that signal our virtues becomes important.

Because of course if a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?

It does make a sound- but only the tree knows it.

Esteem for one’s self is about who you are when no one is looking.

Because when we do things that show we’re strong, kind, creative, clever and the only ones to see it is us, that’s when we build real self esteem.

You’ll fight every urge to talk about it or signal to others what you’ve done. But that erodes the real treasure.

Do the right thing and do it for you only. And do that over and over (and over).

Children Will Listen

October 14, 2025

What does a musical theatre legend have to do with teaching?

At drama school, we did a production Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. At first, I found it really hard to get into; but the process of understanding, rehearsing and performing the show gave me a deep life long love for Sondheim.

One of my favourite lyrics comes from a song sung by the Witch:

“Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do children will see and learn”.

I’’ll admit it took me a bit to actually understand what this means. Surely we want kids to listen right? Why do I have to be careful, Witchy?

Listening comes responsibility.

If they are listening, then the Witch is suggesting we have to be careful what we say and do – their little hearts soak it all in.

For me this comes back to a fundamental focus I have to foster belief in those we work with and especially the young souls.

Everything we say and do has implications. We are constantly modeling behavior and beleifs to our students.

When things get difficult or don’t go to plan, kids are learning from us how we respond.

When we get tired or confused or excited- what do we do? How do we act?

The children are listening.

For me it’s not about trying to be perfect- (as the saying goes; perfection isn’t possible, so it’s the lowest standard…)

But rather considering what our actions and words tell our students about themselves and the way the world is.

We don’t want to spend all our energy getting kids to listen, only for them to hear something that disempowers them.

Children will listen- and that’s a privilege we shouldn’t take lightly.

Understanding the values of those you seek to change

September 23, 2025

It seems so obvious, doesn’t it? To associate a desired outcome with something that is highly important to us.

For instance, if we want to exercise regularly we’d do well to link that in our mind to what’s most important to us. Maybe, to be around for our grand kids and show them the family traditions. Exercise = Family connections.

Fundamentally, I guess, people value pleasurable experiences. And as long as those don’t harm us, these kinds of valuable experiences are great fuel for change and growth.

I know that if I make a kid laugh, I’m much more likely to affect change for them. They begin to associate the good feeling with the learning I deliver.

Link the desired growth (learning) to the value (feeling good).

The loop becomes this: elicit pleasurable experience, hook it to the learning. Elicit the experience, hook the learning. And so on and so fourth.

It’s not about silly fluff for a laughs sake, but it’s about creating deeply valuable and richly pleasurable learning experiences for our kids.

When kids link ultimate pleasure to learning and growth, then we’ve done our job.

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